[center][u][b][h3]Sisterly Things - Collab Post - Spud + The Grey Dust[/h3][/b][/u][/center] [b]“Bailey Honey, what time is choir over? Is there any papers for me to sign or anything so you can be in it? Are your friends all joining too?”[/b] Choir? That was strange, but then again Meredith hardly had time to understand Bailey’s life at school anyways. Any interests or new hobbies would have barely registered in the mother’s already scattered mind. Still though, Meredith asked her rapid-fire questions, trying to wrangle her car-pool-plans into submission. Of course Bailey could get the bus, but getting a lift would give Meredith some time with her youngest daughter, much needed time she couldn’t afford to lose. There was no way she’d let this one go this time. [b] “4.30-ish I guess. There’s no papers, you just show up … Yeah, my friends are there too”[/b] Bailey shrugged, as if the carpool and questions were inconveniences. [b]“Alright, Taron you don’t mind hanging around a little bit after school do you? I’ll pick you both up after Bailey’s choir practice is over, you can hang back and get an early start on that homework[/b]” Ever the mom, Meredith had already thought ahead it seemed, thinking that dinner take longer than expected. Or worse, Richard would smother them all with more gifts as he so often felt the need to buy the family’s happiness. Parting her two little ones, a kiss on the brow for Bailey, and a less awkward a mom hug for Taron, she waved goodbye as they marched out the door, lunches packed away in their knapsacks, to school. There was some reluctance, but which kid did not have such hesitations about going to class? Things seemed so goddamn normal on the surface. As is the normal in this house, it seems. [b]“Have a great day at school!”[/b] Shouted words echoing to chase after the three bodies that just left. With the kids out at school, Leith probably already elbows deep in an engine at this hour, May and Meredith were left to their own devices. May drained the last of the wine in her glass, she could tell that Meredith needed a pick me up. Anyone starting the morning with their OJ glass full of wine was clearly in need of a boost (a boost of the non-alcoholic kind). But in this house of glass who can blame them? [b]“Whaddya say I treat you to a facial at the salon hmm? Seems like you could use a treat. I’ll get some lunch delivered from that place across the street that you like and you can just lie back, relax and tell me everything that’s on your mind. Clearly, I’m only scratching the surface” [/b]May Suggested. An open invitation others would certainly leap at, especially knowing they were going out later in the evening. Who would say no to a day to relax at a salon? [b]“I don’t know May … There’s probably work I could be doing here at home. Maybe I could plan something nice to do with the kids or get them a little treat or-”[/b] Meredith started. Prattling on the list of excuses she made for her sister, and more so for herself to enjoy an afternoon cozying up to a spa chair with heaven on her face. Such expoliation to draw out the toxins on her mind, what a perfect allegory and yet still she thought of ways to avoid drawing those dark thoughts out. [b] “With what money?”[/b] May retorted. She knew as good as any that they were skint. They had the house, but it was too small, they couldn’t afford to rent somewhere else even though they seriously needed the room. And it’s not like Meredith could just ask for Richard to buy them a bigger place, no that would be so desperate to throw away the last bit of dignity her sister had left for herself. “You need a treat yourself first. Keep on worrying like that and then you’ll have wrinkles sprouting up everywhere, neither you nor Richard wants that” May warned. She knew as well as Meredith that losing Richard this late in the game was a gamble that couldn’t be taken lightly. [i]You need a treat yourself[/i] [i]That’s rich[/i], Meredith thought. Wasn’t she spoiled enough already? A wealthy guy buying her dresses, taking her on fancy dates, having her driven about town by a chauffeur. She was lavished in these things and yet, May thought more spoiling would fix this? She felt guilty. She couldn’t protect Leith from Richard’s barbs, and couldn’t afford to turn the man away. She half-wished she could pry into Leith’s mind and figure out if he understood, if he [i]didn’t[/i] hate her for her choice, but then part of her was scared of what she’d find. What kind of mother let a man into her house if he said the things Richard said about her son? Bailey and Taron were younger, perhaps they didn’t know why she did it, maybe they were blissfully ignorant of the ugly truth. She could only hope. Taron seemed to warm to Richard, that almost eased her conscience, even just slightly. He needed a father figure in his life, especially at his age, though Meredith loathed to admit Richard could be that figure, she could hardly deprive her middle-child of the attention either. She really couldn’t win. And Bailey … well she just floated along where the current took her which was worrying in its own way. [b] “C’mon, we’re going to the salon, put on some comfy shoes and get your bum out the door”[/b] May insisted. The voice of reason dragging her sister back from the depths of crushing despair. Yes, perhaps a day at the salon was godsend, and they could catch up there together, as sisters. Facials aside, Meredith knew she needed to get some of this, even just the tiniest bit, off her chest. Her sneakers clashed with her dress but she didn’t care, for just one moment today, she didn’t need to present herself impeccably, [i]for Richard[/i]. [hr] The salon was soothing from the moment she passed over the threshold. Meredith eased back into a comfy reclining salon chair in one of the back rooms. Soft tranquil music floated through the air, oils and lotions and potions lightly perfumed the air. May put on her salon over-dress, or as she called it her “Posh-Apron”, the salon name embroidered on the lapel. She heated up a soothing face mask as Meredith hesitantly allowed herself to unwind. [b]“Is it dinner that has you this wound up?”[/b] May asked, smoothing a mint-green coloured mask on Meredith’s cheeks. [b] “Well it certainly doesn’t help, but no, that’s not it” [/b]Talking while the mask was worked out, contours shifting, but alas conversation was more important that beauty right now. For the Mona Lisa cannot talk. [b] “Well, then spill it. I only have a couple of clients to deal with today so I have [i]time[/i] to listen” “That’s the problem May. I don’t have time for my kids.” “I already explained this hon, the kids are at the age where they [i]don’t[/i] cling to their mothers skirt, they’re growing up and independent.” “And miserable”[/b] Meredith interrupted. [b]“Well now you’re exaggerating. Leith doesn’t like Richard and I’m sure he’d rather be in his own place instead of sharing his sister’s room, but you’ve let Ceren move in with him, you’ve supported him, what more could he ask for? Bailey is a moody teen and Taron actually seems to be getting along quite well. Are you having problems with Richard? Because the kids are doing fine, are you trying to use them as a scapegoat for the real problem here because you know you can’t hide things from me sis.” [/b] May had her points … maybe Leith would be uncomfortable at home even if Richard was out of the picture … Though that didn’t seem likely. He adored Bailey and as awkward as the logistics were, sharing his sisters room wasn’t all that bad. Richard was what upset him, and, May suspected, his suspicions that Meredith wasn’t as comfortable with him as she acted perhaps. But Richard … well, May didn’t know him quite so well as her sister and her nephews and niece. If he was the problem, she’d need a little more info to go on to get to the root of it. [b] “Has he said something? Are you two having troubles?”[/b] May pried. Richard was a much needed financial anchor for the family, whether anyone cared to admit it or not. If they were having troubles, it was no surprise Meredith would be stressed out. Meredith let out a wear sigh, May was about to get hit by a tsunami of micro-and-major problems. [b]“I’m sleeping with a man to try and support my family-” “That’s not entirely true, surely there’s something there, he’s not the worst-” [/b]May attempted to justify. [b]“A man who calls my eldest son vile things,”[/b] there was no disagreeing with that point,[b] “Rick always wants me around him all the time, so I barely see my kids. Who’s there to tell Leith that he’s not wrong or broken or vile? Then there’s Ceren, and I don’t approve, but what can I do? My hands are tied. Taron’s starting his own step into love but he spends so much time at his girlfriend’s house, we haven’t even had the birds and bees talk, and dammit May, it's bad enough with Leith and Ceren in the house I don’t want another one moving in or... And little Bailey … she’s just so distant. She was always a quiet one but now it’s like we don’t even speak the same language. It’s because of Richard? It is isn’t it. She doesn’t like him, that has to be it but he’s the only hope of getting her through college and she’s a clever girl. I can’t deprive her. I just want the best for them all, but I can’t… I’ve been a terrible mother May. But all I want is the best for my family, Our family, you’re just every part of it you know. I can’t possibly thank you enough for being there when I’m with Rick-”[/b] [b] “-Does Bailey miss me when I’m away? We should go see her Choir group one day and surprise her maybe.” “Of course Bailey misses you, in her own little way, but you can catch up on things. A girly day, just you and her, I’m sure you and Rick can work out a day off to spoil her”[/b] watching her choir performance seemed like a good idea too. She was a quiet, shy girl, May was impressed she went to choir at all but if it boosted her confidence, everyone in the house would be thoroughly supportive. [b] “And maybe Taron could bring his girl over to the house and introduce her, well more than just a name, I haven’t even seen what she looks like, have you May?” [/b] May shook her head, [b]“He always goes to her house. It would be nice to meet her, I could cook up a special dinner or something. See sis, these are just little easy fixes, you can do this. We can have a girl-day with Bailey, listen to her choir, have a family dinner with Taron’s girlfriend over.” [/b]The fly in the ointment was Leith of course … really, if Ceren was out of the picture, they’d probably all move in with Richard by now and the other problems would sort themselves out. Juggling her partner and her gay-son seemed to be tearing Meredith in two. All roads in the mother's heart after all seemed to lead to Leith, and by extension Ceren. Yet, it was not an issue Meredith cared to talk about. She had her reservations, and she knew so too did her sister, and probably vice versa. May too respectful to be so vocal to her sister, and Meredith too loving to be so vocal to her son. It was something left unsaid, for everyone feared to cross the bridge. It was the the elephant in the room to which the threads of the family remained tethered to. Else it would have all gone already, Ceren and Leith in some apartment someplace together. Taron soon to follow after with his girlfriend. Bailey could enjoy life with Mom and Richard. May could be there with her sister as well. They could leave this place of stress, leaving behind the bad memories, and take only the good ones they had of their little shack. Too small to fit their troubles, too big to make them easily solved. [b] “You’re right Sis, I… I guess so. You were always the one with a level head in the family. I’d trade in my beauty for your brains any day.”[/b] Ending it all on a joke, a chuckle shared between two sisters, oh how good it was to laugh, to think back to the past, stepping out of the troubling present and far far away from the distant future. [b] “Theres just one thing…” [/b]she pointed out, one problem not addressed. [b]“What are we going to do about Ceren?”[/b] [i]We[/i] … because May refused to let Meredith face everything alone. [b]“What can we do? He makes my Leith happy. I mean sure he doesn’t pay rent or help with the food, but a drive or two for a kids isn’t too bad right? Still though, I guess… I mean as long as Leith is… I mean I don’t enjoy it, but… I wish the boy would get someone more… Right. Like how you found Will, godbless his soul. I don’t want him to be hurt by Ceren, there’s something I just can’t shake off about the boy. But what can we do May? He stays around for Leith. I can’t kick him out without... And I don’t want to say I don’t trust him, but I just don’t want him ruining our family. Oh pleased don’t tell Leith I told you that Sis.” [/b] [i]Right[/i] … Someone right for Leith … Meredith didn’t need to say it, but they both knew what she meant was someone straight. That would be ideal. [b]“You’re right”[/b] May agreed, she couldn’t kick him out for no reason, Leith would be crushed and Ceren had nowhere to go. “You know I would never tell Leith” she promised. She was loyal to her sister, and they were chatting in confidence. May also didn’t have the heart to say that to Leith, it didn’t exactly help that Richard constantly reminded him though. [b]“Leith is a bright boy- Man”[/b] she corrected herself, Leith just shot up once puberty hit him, tall and toned, girls always looked his way and yet none ever caught his eye. [b]“I’m sure he’ll see sense in time. Love is blind as they say, but, well … give him time.”[/b] The hope was there. Leith would find something else, someone else and all the problems would be solved.